Neville, Be Quick
by Fire The Canon
Summary: In Gorey, Ireland, Ginny has moved away from her family, and Officer Longbottom is there to keep her safe. Muggle AU! For lezonne.


_**Written for lezonne for winning a competition of mine**_

_**Written for Anka7995's Nursery Rhymes Inspiration Competition (Jack, Be Nimble)**_

_**Written for The Original Horcrux's Family Boot Camp (Weasley) using the prompt 'officer'**_

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**Neville, Be Quick**

It was a rare sunny day In Gorey, Ireland, when Ginny Weasley woke to the sound of scuffling in her bedroom. She opened one eye, only to be greeted with a ray of sunshine staring her right in the face.

She blinked, and then there was something wet licking her cheek.

"Gerroff," she grumbled, pushing the furry creature away from her. "Go away." Her other eye opened and she was staring into the big, round eyes of Colby; the puppy she'd adopted only two weeks ago. He was a black and white King Charles with a very wet nose and playful eyes. Every morning she'd be woken to the same slobbery kiss.

Groaning, she sat up, running her fingers through his fur. "I suppose you're hungry," she mused. "Alright, let's go and eat breakfast."

It was a long jump from her bed for something so small, but somehow Colby managed it, following her eagerly down the stairs and into the small kitchen of her two-bedroom house. It had been a big step for her moving away from her family, but being the youngest of seven children, she was always going to be treated like a baby. Always too young, too fragile to do anything for herself.

So she'd taken the first step by finding her own place. In another country, too. They'd have to fly to come and visit her.

It wasn't until she'd reached the kitchen did she find something amiss. The door leading to the backyard was wide open. A glass lay shattered on the floor, spilling across the room.

Ginny frowned, looking around, then down at her puppy. "Did you do this?" she demanded of him, but his only response was to wag his tail and look up at her with expectant eyes for his breakfast.

No, of course he couldn't have done something like that. The glass on the floor, yes, but opening the door, no.

She tip-toed across the floor, careful to avoid the glass, and peered outside. She hadn't heard a storm last night, but perhaps there had been one. Colby came to stand by her side.

"You didn't hear anything, did you?"

She wasn't sure why she was talking to someone who would never be able to answer her. Shrugging, she closed the door and began sweeping the glass into a pile.

Colby yapped at her.

"I know, I know. Breakfast will be served in just a minute," she told him. She was just tipping the contents of the glass into the rubbish bin when there came a knock at her front door. She jumped, and then scolded herself. What was she frightened of?

Colby bolted through the kitchen, across the carpet in the living room and sat at the door, barking at whoever was on the other side. Ginny hurried after him, cursing as she felt a piece of glass dig into her bare foot.

Hobbling the rest of the way, she opened the door to find local police office, Neville Longbottom standing before her.

"Oh… hi," she said. "Er, can I help you?" She tried not to show her embarrassment at seeing him so early in the morning when she wasn't even properly clothed, the sole of her foot was dripping blood and her hair was in an array of who knew what.

He was an officer after all – he'd probably seen worse. But he probably hadn't dated everyone he came to visit either.

"We weren't supposed to be meeting this morning were we?" A moment of panic struck her. She thought she'd been completely free today.

A slight smile played on his lips, and he shook his head. "No, two shifts today, remember?" he said.

Ginny nodded. "Then this is official business?" she questioned, and he returned her nod, but more grimly than she'd hoped. "Oh no, what's happened?"

"There was a series of break-ins in the area last night," he said. "Especially along this street. I just came by to see if it happened to you, too. And if you were okay."

The memory of the wide-open door and the glass that was now in her foot stared Ginny right in the face. Neville seemed to read her expression, and his demeanour softened. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I… nothing's been taken," she said. "At least I don't think so. I just found the door wide open and…." She glanced down at the small blood stain on the carpet. "A broken glass."

"Do you mind if I come in?" Neville questioned, and Ginny pushed the door open to let him through. Colby bounded happily around his legs, tongue hanging out and tail wagging. He had known Neville as long as he had known Ginny, and liked him very much.

On any other occasion, Neville would have taken the time to pat him, but today he seemed more concerned about Ginny and her apparent house invasion.

"I'll just take a look around and see if there's anything to take back."

Ginny nodded, following him into the kitchen where he started his investigation at the back door. He studied it as if it would give him answers, and then observed the pile of shattered glass still on the floor of Ginny's kitchen.

"Are you sure this was all?" he asked. "Just the door and the glass?"

Ginny shrugged. "I haven't actually looked through thoroughly," she admitted. "But that's all I can see at the moment." She thought to her second bedroom where a desk and a laptop sat, open for everyone to see. She hadn't thought to check that.

Neville nodded. "Well, if you find anything, don't hesitate to call, okay?"

"Thanks, Neville."

Slightly worried now, after Neville left, Ginny hurried up to her spare bedroom, checking to see if anything had been stolen. Her laptop was still there and appearing in tact. She remembered seeing her television earlier, and there wasn't really anything valuable she kept in the house.

Still, knowing someone had managed to break in – escaping hers and Colby's attention – worried her. Who knew what else they might have done. Perhaps her coming down the stairs had startled the thief and that was why the door was left ajar and a glass had smashed on the floor.

A sudden urge to lock all the doors and windows overcame her, and it wasn't until fifteen minutes later that she was finally pouring some of the dog food into a bowl for Colby and a bowl of cereal for herself. She sighed, looking down at the pup.

"We'll make a guard dog out of you yet," she said. His only response was to yap cheerfully, licking his jowls from the breakfast he'd just downed in three mouthfuls.

…

She'd managed to find herself a job working at the local grocery store just down the road. It didn't pay much, but it was enough to cover the rent for her house, and the occasional treat if she wanted. She worked five days a week for six hours each shift, and by the time she got home, she was always in a terrible mood.

"Ginny Weasley!" Her mother's voice was screaming at her from the answering machine box sitting on the table. She had half the urge to switch it off, but thought better of it. "I had to hear of the break-in from Ron, who heard it from Officer Longbottom. Two days and you didn't think to inform me? Are you okay, dear? Was anything taken? Please ring me."

Ginny sighed. Honestly, informing her family hadn't even crossed her mind. She was certain nothing had been taken, she was unharmed and her house was okay. What was there to tell them? She wasn't one to crawl up and cower in bed until the culprit had been caught. She was strong enough to defend herself, anyway.

And she'd have to talk to Neville about talking to her family. He and Ron had only met a month ago, but apparently they'd hit it off well. She often teased both of them that they should just get married already. Neville would always blush at the suggestion, and Ron would just scowl.

"Ginny? Sorry, I know you're at work, but should I pick you up tonight? Or will you just meet me there?"

Ginny froze, turning back to the machine where Neville's voice was coming from.

"Oh crap," she mumbled. "Meet me there, meet me there," she then said, talking to the machine as if Neville could hear her from the other end. She dashed up the stairs and into her room to quickly change. He was taking her out tonight. They were seeing a movie. She had forgotten.

_I'm a horrible person_, she thought to herself as she slipped on the first top she could find, and her brand new jeans she'd bought only yesterday. _Terrible. Horrible_.

"Ginny?"

A knock sounded on her door and she hurried down, moving Colby from the walkway so she could answer it.

"I was going to meet you there," she said to Neville. "Sorry."

Neville shrugged. "That's okay."

"I'm not ready yet."

"I don't mind waiting. We have some time." And before she could send him away he had let himself into her house, Colby bounding around his legs. This time, he had time to pet him.

"Give me one moment," she said, and disappeared back up the stairs to brush her hair.

…

"That was the dullest film I've seen in a long time," Ginny said, sighing as the exited the movie theatre in the throng of people. Through the crowd, she heard whispers that people felt the same as she did.

"Oh, I didn't find it too bad," Neville replied. "If you're into that kind of thing."

Ginny snorted. There had been plenty of police chases in the movie – that was probably why Neville enjoyed it.

"So, should I take you home?"

"What?"

"Home. Should I take you home now?"

Ginny glanced down at her watch, frowning. "It's only nine o'clock," she said. Tomorrow was one of her few days off. "Oh, do you have to work tomorrow?"

Neville nodded. "Though, we can stay for a while longer if you'd like."

Though there wasn't much to do in Gorey after six o'clock.

They found a little café still open off a street, and decided to go in, Neville ordering and purchasing two coffees. They were the only ones in there, and the staff were cleaning, apparently annoyed that they needed to wait for two more customers to leave.

"Maybe next time you should choose the movie," Neville suggested after a few moments of sitting in silence. "It was kind of terrible."

Ginny waved him away. "The movie wasn't the most important thing," she told him. He blushed.

They finished their coffees, and soon they were walking down the street again in search of Neville's car. Neville was bold enough to hold her hand – a gesture he'd been too shy to do previously – and they'd just spotted the silver Ford on the street when a shout came from the other direction.

A woman.

Neville spun around so quickly, his police nature kicking in, and Ginny found herself having to run to keep up with him. The shout got louder as they drew nearer, and even Ginny knew it was a cry of distress.

"Hey!"

There was a shady figure standing over a smaller, trembling figure on the ground. The woman.

"Oi!"

The culprit barely glanced up at Neville.

"Hey, get away from her!" Without a second thought, Neville lunged for the woman's attacker, tackling him to the ground in one swift movement that Ginny stood there, impressed, for longer than was necessary.

Neville was still wrestling with the man on the ground when she came to help the shaken woman to her feet. "Are you okay?" she asked.

The woman gave a half-hearted nod, her eyes on the two men. "He's… is he your boyfriend?" she wanted to know.

Ginny smiled. "That, and he's a police officer."

Relief seemed to flood the woman, and her face relaxed. "Oh."

"Your luck has ended today, my friend," Neville said. "Officer Longbottom. You and I will be taking a trip to the police station tonight."

The man didn't reply, realising he was defeated.

Ginny couldn't help but smile.

…

"You know, I've never really seen you on the job before." Ginny slid over on the bench she was sitting on in the police station. Neville took the now empty spot beside her. "It was really impressive."

Very modest, Neville blushed. "Oh… well… that's my job," he said, and Ginny reached over to pat his knee.

"You're very good at it."

Neville turned an even deeper shade of red if that was at all possible. "Thanks."

"So, even after tonight, you still need to get up early and do it all again tomorrow?"

"Mhm."

"I couldn't do what you do. But I'm glad people like you are around."

"Well, you did well, helping that girl," Neville said. "She probably would have run a mile had I tried to help. But because you were there, we were able to talk to her, and she was a lot calmer."

Ginny shrugged. "What else was I supposed to do while you were wrestling some guy to the ground? He was a lot bigger than you, you know."

"I know."

There was a silence after that, and Ginny watched as police officer after police officer walked about doing their business. They paid little attention to her and Neville. They were virtually invisible until one man, Officer Thomas – a friend of Neville's – suggested they go home.

"Get some sleep," he said. "Both of you."

Ginny didn't need telling twice.

Officer Thomas – or Dean as Neville referred to him – even offered to drive them both home. Neville's car was still somewhere along the road, but at they were too exhausted to go searching.

Before hopping into the back seat Ginny stopped, turning to face Neville. "Thank you," she said.

"For what?" Neville blinked, obviously confused. After all, it hadn't been her he had saved tonight.

Ginny grinned. "For being so concerned about me the other day and… I never realised how each day, you put your life on the line."

Neville shrugged, trying to brush her comment off. "That doesn't happen every day," he assured her.

"Still… I couldn't do it." She thought back to her job in the grocery store. Oh, how different lives they led in such a small place.

"Let's talk more tomorrow," Neville then suggested, and he held the car door open wide for her to get in. "You look exhausted. You're talking gibberish."

Ginny couldn't help but laugh at that, and Dean started the car.

"Sometimes I do that," she said, and before she knew it, she was being woken gently as they had arrived at her house.

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_**This was my first attempt at a Muggle AU! The prompts kind of just screamed for it. I did have fun writing this, actually. I know it's probably a bit out of character, but this was kind of one of those things where my brain and fingers wanted to do completely different things with this story, and in the end, I am happy with the outcome.**_

_**lezonne, I hope you like it!**_


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